They were both given 12 month prison sentences suspended for 18 months, with 18 months supervision, and ordered to take part in Think First and alcohol abuse programmes.

Lewis, who also admitted possessing an offensive weapon, was ordered to do 100 hours' unpaid work, and a community order on him was revoked.

Kathryn Roughton, prosecuting, said that in September last year a 90-year-old man awoke to find that two panes of glass in the rear door of his home in Linwood Road, Solihull, had been smashed during the night, but no-one had got inside.

Archbold and Lewis had gone to the house at 4.30 in the morning and smashed the windows in an attempt to break in, and Archbold's fingerprints were found on the inside of the door.

Having failed to get in, they left and broke into a house in nearby Streetsbrook Road, which was for sale and unoccupied.

Once inside they went on the rampage, causing £1,000 of damage by kicking out the spindles from the banister, scraping the walls in one of the bedrooms, damaging paintwork in the loft, turning on the shower and trying to rip out the gas meter.

A neighbour who heard the noise and knew there should be no-one in the house called police.

The two intruders fled, but a police dog found Lewis hiding in a nearby garden. When he tried to escape he was bitten on the arm and the bottom before being arrested, and was found to have an extendable baton on him.

Archbold got away, but was arrested after his fingerprints were found at both houses.

The pair told police they had been very drunk and could not remember causing any damage.